Union forks out for farmers in trouble
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A CHARITY which helps farmers who have suffered hardship and poverty as a result of their livelihood taking a turn for the worse has received a four figure donation from the Caithness branch of NFU Scotland.
The Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RSABI) last year helped 550 people in land-based occupations and who due to illness, disability, low income or crisis find themselves unable to cope, handing out £400,000 in grants last year.
RSABI chief executive Maurice Hankey gave a talk to members at the NFU meeting held in Thurso on Monday night before receiving a £2000 donation from NFU Caithness chairman Arnott Coghill.
Mr Hankey said that the farming industry is not immune to issues such as stress and depression and that the charity has received the most amount of calls for help during 2012 in its six year history. "In the past we’ve not been overwhelmed from calls from farmers but it is now happening," he said.
"Every day we are receiving calls from people who are experiencing crisis running their businesses, are affected from illness or injury or are struggling to live on their pension after retirement. Nobody expects to ever receive help from a charity and people would be surprised to recognise prominent names in the farming community across Scotland who have required our help.
"For some reason, things go wrong in their lives through no fault of their own but the simple message is nobody knows what tomorrow holds."
RSABI provides financial and practical support to individuals and their families across a range of occupations with the common theme of working on the land in Scotland, or providing services to those who do.
The work they are involved with is confidential with the charity tailoring the help it can offer to individual circumstances.
Financial support is not handed out to bail out troubled farm businesses but to support families while farmers resolve their issues.
The charity also operates Gatepost which is the first listening and support service dedicated to farmers and others working in the land-based sector in Scotland.
